Just Harry
by bond2012
Summary: Harry has given up all faith in magic and is living as a muggle. Its not as easy as it seems. One shot didnt really fit any of the genres :P x


Just Harry

Harry woke up that morning to find himself alone. He braced himself before putting his feet down on the inevitabley cold floor. Unfortunately he was right again and soon his toes were numb as he padded quickly to the bathroom. Once inside he shut the door and locked it. He padded over to the shower and turned it on. It normally took about 4 minutes to heat up so to save his feet further torture, he sat down on the toilet with the lid up. The bathroom was tiny and one could reach the sink from the toilet so Harry looked at himself in the mirror while he sat there.

His face was fuller and a healthy sprinkling of stubble was appearing all over his chin and under his nose. He rubbed a hand across it gently and felt it. Perhaps he ought to shave. His green eyes were the same as ever. He tried not to think that his mother's had been the same. His hair was thick but short and didnt stick up as much now that he had decided to have it thinned at the barbers.

The shower was warm enough so he jumped in, trying to avoid the cold floor as much as possible. Once inside he let the steamy hot water run down his body and sighed at the warmth. He began to massage the shampoo into his hair and closed his eyes as it ran down his face leaving soapy race tracks on his cheeks and over his eyes. He dunked his head back under the streaming water, washing all the soapy residue off, clearing his eyes.

Once his hair was void of all soap he flung back his head so that his hair followed splattering the walls with big drops of water and causing his shorter fringe to flick upwards before slopping back down in an un-uniform way. It still covered his scar. He began washing his body with a shower gel that smelt of lemons. He enjoyed his morning shower as it allowed him to wash away all his dreams. He still had nightmares.

Realising he could wash no more, Harry turned off the shower and, as the steam cleared, that familiar awful feeling of a wave of icy cold washed over him. The hairs on his arms stood up at once and he shivered before clambering out and wrapping himself tightly in the towel waiting on the rack. He tried to dry his feet quickly on the bath mat before padding once more out of the bathroom and back into his bedroom. Behind him, little shaddowy footprints lingered for several seconds on the floor.

Harry dried himself off and rubbed his hair so it all stood up at crazy angles. He tiptoed to the wardrobe, naked. He selected a pair of jeans and an old black t shirt. On his way to the bed he grabbed some socks and underwear. He took no time at all to get dressed. Soon he was ready and warm again. His hair was drying of its own accord so he brushed it quickly to prevent later unruly curls and stand-ups. He hung the towel on the back of the door and headed out of his room into the kitchen/living room.

Harry's appartment was small but modern. It had large bay windows which overlooked Manchester City and a newly fitted kitchen with granite worktops. Harry's favourite part of the house by far was the small balcony on which he had put a nice whicker chair. He liked to sit their on evenings and watch the sun set while music played from the living room on the loud speaker system he had bought in the Christmas Sales last year. The living room was fashionably decorated with a large widescreen TV and glass coffee table, comfortable chocolate leather sofas and a CD rack which was stuffed to breaking point. By the sliding doors that lead to the balcony was a large old dresser which he had rescued from Grimmauld Place before he sold it. On top of the dresser was a large empty owl cage which had formerly belonged to Hedwig. Harry hadn't the heart to throw it out. In the kitchen area was a large table which had magazines and newspapers scattered all over it. Harry brushed some of them out of the way and sat down while the kettle steamed away. He ate cereal silently before getting up to sort out his mug of tea. When it was ready he took it out to the balcony and sat in the seat watching the city wake up. By the time he had finished it was 10 am and most people were at work. He hurried back into the house shoved on an old pair of canvas trainers and grabbed a thin jacket. On his way out he grabed a pair of keys from the hook by the door and locked up his appartment.

On the way downstairs he bumped into Mrs Giddieon who was making her way upstairs slowly with a bag of shopping. He knew he should feel bad not carrying her things but he reminded himself that the miserable old bag would probably just tell him to bugger off and that his hair was too long again. He hurried out of the door into the weak Autumn sunshine and across the road to the small blue fiat parked on the edge of the pavement.

Once inside he started the engine and was about to drive away when a voice behind him spoke.  
"Harry." It wasnt a question. It was a demand. Harry began to panic. Who was it and how had they got into his car? He tried to hide the fear in his breathing by taking slow deep breaths and waited for the person to speak again.  
"Harry." He turned slowly to see a young man sitting on the back seat with greying hair. He looked young but his face was lined and bags under his eyes suggested lack of sleep. His clothes were tattered and shabby and his voice was meak but controlling. He looked ill, thin and on his last legs. Harry was not pleased to see him here.

"What Remus?" he sighed angrily.  
"Why are you doing this?" Remus Lupin asked politely.  
"You know why." Harry snapped back.  
"I do not. Please explain." Lupin could be a pain in the arse sometimes. "Lupin I don't want to talk about this anymore. Don't you think i've already heard it from Ron, Hermione... everyone!"  
"Yes I do Harry. However I feel like they did not help so I have come to give it a go." Remus folded his arms annoyingly, "I have all day, please feel free to make the explanation last as long as you want."  
Harry sighed. Lupin would never give up on him.  
"I've seen how magic ruins lives Remus. I've watched people become obsessed with the power it gives them. Even the best of us Remus, even Dumbledore. We shouldn't use it. We can't act responsible enough. I've seen it ruin lives. I've seen it ruin me and i want nothing more to do with it. Look at you. You lost your wife! Teddy lost his mother!  
"And now," replied Remus in a quiet voice "He has lost his godfather as well."  
"No...Remus...I..."  
"I understand Harry." Remus looked sad " I can't- I cant go back into that world..."  
Remus Lupin looked more tired than ever.  
" Very well Harry." he said "Thank you for explaining to me." He opened the car door and stepped out. Harry saw his long shabby cloak billow in the light wind. "Oh and thank you for Teddy's birthday present. He's been badgering me for a broomstick and I simply couldn't afford one under he- ah...present climate..." He nodded to Harry and closed the door. When Harry looked back, he had gone.

He looked at the empty space where Lupin had been and considered his words carefully. He was about to turn back when something caught his eye. A newspaper lay on the seat where Lupin had just been. The headline read:

WHERE IS OUR HERO?

followed by a large photograph of Harry. The paper was covered in messages written in all different coloured inks, they read everything from:  
"Come home Harry! x" to "Please Harry, where have you gone?x" to "Harry. We miss you. x"

A tear caught Harry's eye. Nothing had changed, wizards still affected him worse than muggles.

"I guess i can't just be 'Harry'." he laughed sadly.  



End file.
